Social Impact Assessment Phu Nlnh Subprojectdocuments.worldbank.org/curated/pt/496911468779657003/... · 2016-07-17 · Socialist Republic of Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural

26856 V. 4August 2003

Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

Central Project Office NIPPON KOEI (Janpan)In association with

Royal Haskoning (the Netherlands)

Vietnam-Water Resources Assistance ProjectGrant No. TF026252

Consultant services for project preparartion

Social Impact AssessmentPhu Nlnh Subproject

Hanoi, June 2003

Edited September 2003

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Social Assessment ReportPhu Ninh Subproject

Social Impact Assessment for Phu Ninh Subproject

Table of Contents:

1. INTRODUCTION 22. SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 4

2.1. Beneficiaries and their Main Source of Income 42.2. Standard of Living 62.3. Land Holdings 72.4. Poverty and Gender 72.5. Challenges Facing the Community in Development 92.6. Development Priorities 102.7. Conclusion: A Social Impact Assessment 10

3. CONSULTATION, INFORMATION DISSIMINATION AND PARTICIPATION3.1. Commitment to Implement the the Project According to World Bank Policyl 1

A. Consultation with the PC of the Province 12B. Consultation with the PC at District/Town Levels 12C. Consultation with the Commune PC in Subproject Areas 14D. Consultation with Farmers 15

3.2. Farmers' Participation in Water Management 163.3. Farmers' Recommendation Concerning Water Closing Management 163.4. Farmers' Capacity to Restore and Rebuild New Tertiary Canals 193.5. Present Models of Water Management 193.6. Irrigation Fees 233.7. Farmers' Proposed Water Management Model 243.8. Consultation with the Community on Mitigation Measures 25

Tables:

1. Beneficiary Communes Classified According to Irrigation Clusters 32. Characteristics of the Population in the Subproject Area 53. Population Dencity in Subproject Area 54. Average Food per Capita in Subproject Areas 65. Poverty Rates in Subproject Areas 76. Reasons for Poverty 87 Farming Season Structure within the Subproject Area 17

Social Assessment Report 2Phu Ninh Subproject

1. INTRODUCTION

1. The construction of Phu Ninh irrigation system, Quang Nam province, began in 1977 andwas completed in 1985. Before the construction of the irrigation system, the plain area of theSouthern districts of the province had seriously shortage of irrigation water, especially for theAutumn Summer crop, cultivation soil was not fertile (heavy soil was mixed with sand and whitesand). There was lack of water, and food production was uncertain. The life of citizens in someareas were threatened with hunger due to shortage of foodgrain while other areas experiencedflood.

2. The Phu Ninh irrigation project has made great contribution to flood control' and thesocio-economic development of Quang Nam province. Especially in the fields of agriculture byensuring the irrigation of 349,162 ha of paddy cultivation and nearly 50,000 ha of farm producecultivation including industrial crops. In terms of cultivation area 15,170 ha out of the total of23,000 were irrigated, reaching 66% of the designed capacity, includingl2,170 ha for paddycultivation and 3,000 ha of farm produce. Since the completion of the Phu Ninh irrigation system,the lives of the people in the area had been changed day by day. Paddy output of Tam Kyincreased from 600-700kg/ha/year (year 1976) to 3-4 tones/ha/year (2002). Foodgrain output ofTam Ky town and Thang Binh district increased from 25,000 tones/year /1976 to 42,000tones/year/ 2002.

3. The scheme has supplied domestic water for over 400,000 rural people in the beneficiaryarea (year 2001) and Phu Ninh water supply provided 15,000 m3/day to Tam Ky town. Thesystem also supplied water to factories of sugar, cassava starch, fruit-vegetables processing forexport, and will (when restored) be able to supply water to Chu Lai-Ky Ha industrial zone withflows of 55,000 m3/day. With capacity of nearly 350 million m3, water surface area of 3,200haPhu Ninh enables the raising of fresh water fish, sometimes up to 70 tones, creating jobs formany farming households living close to the lake. In addition it creates an important waterwayline for nearly 8,000 inhabitants and has made a communications network convenient.

4. Phu Ninh Lake plays a very important role in flood control. Phu Ninh project completelystoped all floods at the beginning of flooding season, and it regulates over 40% of the total floodvolume of main flooding season. Phu Ninh Lake also creates great potential of ecological tourismwith many beauty spots, cool weather, many valuable birds, animals in the forest, and is only 7km away from the centre of town.

5. The Phu Ninh Subproject scheme 2 includes:

1 Although there was the historical flood of 12/1999, with frequency of 1,5-2%, flow of flood peak was2,890 m3/s, flood volume in 24 hours was 131.1.10m3, Ph6 Ninh lake regulated 48% of total volume, reducingflooding level at the lower area of Tam Ku town froml-1,5m (source: TrCn H-u ThO, Quang Nam irrigation projectexploitation Company).2 The present office for management and exploitation of Phu Ninh is "Phu Ninh irrigation Project ManagementCompany (IMC Phu Ninh)", comprising of 4 irrigation enterprises of Nui Thanh, Phu Ninh, Thang Binh and QueSon. Each enterprise includes from I to 5 irrigation clusters. 2 out of total of 2 irrigation clusters do not manageirrigation area, but manage head works area and main north canal, named "head works management cluster" and


* Head works, including: 1 Main weir, 3 auxiliary weirs, 1 controlled spill way at the heightof 26m, 1 free spill way 31m for precautions against big flood and combination with thecontrolled spill way, 2 sewers. The head works compnrses of 12 working items if thehydraulic works of the hydroelectric station is included.

* Two main N4orth and South canals: the main North canal is at height level of 1 7m, runningfrom Tu Yen pass to the foot of Hon Bang mountain bordering with Duy Xuyen district,with its length of 47 km; the main South canal is 8 km from the beginning of Tam Xuancommune to Tam Anh commune of Nui Thanh district. Total length of the two maincanals is 55km.

* 427 km of canal grade I downwards3 .* 200 works on main canal.

* 1200 works on canals from grade 1 downwards.

6. Table I below gives an overview of the location, and classifies the communes accordingto irigation cluster.

Table 1. Beneficiary Communes Classified According to IrrigationClusters

Order Irrigation Irrigation Canal and Works assigned by Communes getting irrigation serviceEnterprise cluster IMC for management,

exploitation.

I Enterprise Phu Ninh Head works area management: Nofor head works main weir, 3 spillways, Southexploitation manageme-nt sewer.

of Phu Ninh Truong Xuan N2, N4, N4B, Tam Loc Pump Wards of Tan Thanh, Truong Xuan, An My,

project Station. AN Son, Hoa Luong, Communes of ThamThai, Tam Dan, Tam Phu, Tam Ngoc (Tam Kytown,)

Cam Khe N19A, NIOB, N12, Tam Loc Tam Loc, Tam Dan, Tam Phuoc, Tam Thanh,Pump Station Tam An,, Toam Ky Town,, Binh An ( Thang

Binh district)

Main North Management of main North canal Nocanal fromK0 - K33 & Tu Yen auxiliary

weir, North sewer

Tam Dan N6, N8, Tam D©n Pump Station Tan Thanh ward, communes of Tam Vinh,Tam Dan, Tam Dan (Tamn Ky town), and TienPhong (Tien Phuoc district)

"main North canal management cluster", belonging to Phu Ninh irrigation enterprise. The remaining clusters manageirrigation area, with the smallest area of 550 ha (Tam Anh irrigation cluster with office at Tam Anh commune, NuiThanh district), and the biggest area of 2,480 ha (Cam Khe irrigation cluster with office at Tam An, Tam Ky town).Each cluster is in charge of leading water to canal grade 3 and manage, distribute water to some communes. Besides,the irrigation clusters have to protect projects on canal, sign contracts on irrigation and collect irrigation feeaccording to yearly plan.3According to IMC, canal grade 1 here is equal to grade 2 as called by WB experts. Therefore, hereunder it will bereferred to as "canal grade 2"


II Enterprise Binh Trung N14, N14A, An Xa Dong Station Binh Que, Binh Trung, Binh An and Binhfor Trung Seed Farm (Thang Binh district).exploitationof iTang Binh Tu N16, N18 Bbinh Tus, Ha Lam townlet, Binh PhucBinh (Thang Binh district)irrigation Binh Nguyen N20, N22 Binh Nguyen, Ha Lam townlets 1 & 2, Binhproject Phuc, Binh Phu, Binh Giang, Binh Dao, Binh

Duong, Binh Trieu, Binh Quy (Thang Binhdistrict).

Co Binh N14B, Co Binh, Gia Hoi, Thach Binh Dinh, Binh Qui, Binh Chanh, Binh PhucHoa Pump Stations (Thang Binh district).

III Enterprise South Phu Main South Canal, N4, N6. Tam Xuan, Tam Anh, Tam Hoa, Tam Tienfor Ninh (Nui Thanh district).

exploitation Tam Anh N2, N2-9 Tam Anh, Tam Hop (N6i Thunh district)

irrigationproject

IV Que Son Que Cuong Main North Canal (k33-K47), Que Xuan, Que Phu, Que Cuong, Phu ThoIrr.proj. N24, N26, N28,P. Ch0 Pump (Que Son Dst.), Duy Trung (Duy Xuyen Dst.),exploitation Station. Binh Dinh, Binh Quy (Tang Binh Dst.).

2. SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT4

2.1. Beneficiaries and their Main Source of Income

7. The beneficiary area of the Sub-project includes 43 communes/wards 5 belonging to thearea of 5 districts/town: Tam Ky town (17 communes/wards), districts of Nui Thanh (5communes), Quue Son (4 communes), Duy Xuyen (1 commune), Thang Binh (15 communes andtownlet of Hjt Lam) and Tian Ph-ic (1 commune), with a total of 411,550 people (year 2001), asshown in table 1 above.

8. All the 411.568 beneficiaries as well as the possibly affected people of the sub-project,belong to the main ethnic group, the Kinh people. There is no ethnic minority in the area. Thereare 4 religions in the Sub-project area: Buddhism, Christianity, Protestantism and Cao Dai6 . TamKy town has 14,601 believers, making up 8.4% of the total population of town, of which:Buddhist make up 47%, Christian 19.9%, Protestant 25%, Cao Dai 8.1%. Over 90% of theremaining citizens of the town are non-religious.

9. Over 83% of the people are farmers mainly living in rural area, with their work on paddyfields, in vegetable gardens, or occupied with animal breeding on a small family scale tosupplement cash income to meet their daily living expences and farm input such as fertilizer,insecticide, and seeds. At the townlets (apart from the wards of Tam Ky town) over half of the

4 The figures referred to in this SIA is the ones valid in June 2003 and they differ slightly from later ones.Ha Lam townlet (Th"ng Bxnh district) is regarded as a beneficiary unit equal to I commune/ward.

6 A religious sect draws upon ethical precepts from Confucianism, occult practices from Taoism, theories of karmaand rebirth from Buddism, and a hierarchical organization (including a pope) from Roman Catholism.


population live of agriculture as shown in table 2 below. Even in Hpt Lam townlet, Thang Binhdistrict, agricultural households make up 55%. The birth rate varies between 1.6 in Thang Binhdistrict and the highest 2.14 in Que Son district. The population growth rate was 1.01 in 2001.

Table 2: Characteristics of the Population in the Subproject Areas

Items Districts/town benefited from Sub-project (*)

Tam Ky town Nui Thanh Quue Son Duy Xuyen Thang Binh Total

2000 2001 2000 2001 2000 2001 2000 2001 2000 2001 2000 2001

1. Population (people) 14879 15225 57812 58358 40673 41612 7445 7491 15118 15185 40590 411562 4 0 3 2 8

- Of which: ethnic minority 0 0 0 0 0 O 0 0 0 0 0 0

2. Male (people) 72225 72547 28361 28642 19088 18309 3606 3630 73612 73816 19689 196942 4

- Male at working age (18- 33941 12261 12307 6632 7166 2245 2130 21138 5554460)

3. Female (people) 76567 79707 29451 29716 21585 23303 3839 3861 77568 78019 20901 214600 6

- Female at working age (18- 38666 38743 14959 15173 9790 9122 1962 1956 40207 38410 10558 1034055) 4 4

4. Birth rate (%) 1.86 1.73 1.97 1.85 2.14 1.93 1.55 1.43 1.63 1.6 1.8 1.7

5. Population growth rate (%) 1.02 1.01 1.02 1.01 1.00 1.01

6. Non-agriculture 5820 5892 3102 4406 1244 1227 245 248 4472 4329 14883 16102households (household)

7. Agriculture households 30015 30072 10851 9354 9070 9726 1612 1615 31192 30780 82740 81547(household)

8. Average number of people 4.2 4.2 4.1 4.2 3.9 3.8 4.0 4.0 4.2 4.3 4.2 4.2of one household

9.Agriculture household rate 83.8 83.6 77.8 68.0 87.9 88.8 86.8 86.7 87.5 87.7 84.8 83.5

Note: (*): Excluding Tian Phong commune, Tian Ph-ic district (the only commune of the district irrigated by PhuNinTh system) as there is no detailed statistics from the area. The number of people of Tian Ph-ic commune is over4,000.

10. Population density of the beneficiary area of Subproject was 369 people/km2 which isover 2.7 times higher than the common density of the whole province. Although the populationdensity is high the average household is relatively small for a farming population and variesbetween 3.9 and 4.3 persons per household as shown in table 2.

Table 3: Population Density in Subproject Area


Year Districts in Sub-project area Whole

Tam Ky Nui Thanh Quue Son Duy Xuyen Thang Binh Average of provincewhole area

2001 502 261 178 423 479 369 136

2.2. Standard of Living

A. Food Security:

11. The average food grain has gone down in recent years, which is to be expected with thedeterioration of the irrigation system. However, in two districts, Que Son and Thang Binh foodsecurity has actually improved between 1999 and 2001. Although that may partly be due toexternal circumstances such as the weather conditions, but it does not correspond to the increasepoverty rates for the very same districts as shown in part 2.4. below and table 5. Other socialvariable(s) may be at work here.

Table 4: Average Food per Capita in Subproject Areas(Unit: kg/people/year)

Year Districts/town in sub-project area

Tam Ky town Nui Thanh Que Son Duy Xuyen Thang Binh Average of wholearea

1999 254.70 176.10 284.00 375.10 263.30 270.64

2000 255.40 167.90 302.30 335.90 260.00 264.30

2001 247.00 159.70 301.80 324.80 274.00 261.46

B. Health Conditions.:

12. Main diseases of the Subproject areas were cold, gynaecological diseases of women,cancers (stomach, liver, bronchus), mental illness, and tuberculosis. In Binh Tu commune only,12 people died of cancers in 2002; 25 people got mental illness (age from 30-60).Gyenaecological diseas of women are resulting from unsafe water for domestic use and the livingconditions in rural areas are not hygienical according to the women's association.

13. Clean water: The ratio of rural household using clean water from stone or concrete builtwells was 100%, with the average depth of water well of 6 m, of which 90% of households haveprivate family wells. The rest (10%) share a well between 2-3 households. However, at somecommunes/wards in low area water is often affected by alum during the rainy season, and not soclear as when it doesn't rain.

14. Toilets: In the rural area, about 50% of households use 2 compartment latrines, 45% ofhopuseholds use 1 compartment latrines, and only 5% of households use septic tank or semi-septic tank toilets. There is almost no toilet model built on water surface for combination withfish raising. In the urban area as townlets, about 25% of households use 2 compartment latrinesand 75% of households use septic tank or semi-septic tank toilets. In the inner town over 90% of


householes used septic tank or semi-septic tank toilets. The remaining households, mainly livingin the outskirts of town, or newcomers to town, use 2 compartment latrines or live in difficultieswith no toilet at all.

2.3. Land Holdings

15. Beneficiaries' average agricultural cultivation area was 753 m2/person of which theyearly cultivation area was 571 m2/person (making up 75.8% of the total cultivation land area).Paddy cultivation was 425 m2/person (56% of the total cultivation land area). The averageagricultural cultivation land area per household of the Subproject area was: 3,162 m2/household,of which the yearly plant cultivation land was 2397 m2/household (Paddy cultivation land: 1,771m2/household, equal to 3.5 Central VN poles' length).

16. Average cultivation land area of poor households was 450m2/person, while that of thewhole commune was 720 m2/person as in Tam Thgrnh commune, Tam Ky town. Thus poverty ofthe people was also caused by structural inadequacies with small landholdings, limited humanresource development in the form of education and training, and lack of alternative sources ofincome.

2.4. Poverty and Gender

17. Poverty varies between districts with the lowest of 7% of households in Tam Ky town andthe highest 22.4% in Quue Son in 2001. However, what may be more disturbing than the absolutenumber is the increase in poverty from 2000 to 2001 particularly in 3 districts as shown in table5.

Table 5: Poverty Rates in Subproject Areas

Tam Ky Nui Thanh Quue Son Duy Xuyen Thang Binh Average of whole area

22000 2001 2000 200 001 2000 2001 2000 2001 2000 2001

10.7 7.0 11.2 20.7 20.4 22.4 23.0 21.0 11.5 19.4 15.4 18.1

18. The average poverty rate increased from 15.4 in 2000 to 18.1 in 2001, but in Nui Thanhthe poverty rate was 11.2 in 2000 but jumbed to 20.7 in 2001. Likewise in Quue Son the povertyrate was 20.4% in 2000 and 22.4 in 2001, and in Thang Binh it was 11.5 in 2000 but jumbed to19.4 in 2001. Figures may reflect differences in weather conditions between the two years, butwhatever the reason the increased poverty rates reflect the vulnerability of the people in the area.With poverty rate of around one fifth of the population careful attention should be paid toresettlement policy effects, particularly when Phu Ninh previously have experienced relocation ofpeople, who have not benefited from the reservoir and are still in need of water and infrastructureimprovements. This is documented in the Resettlement Legacy Issues Annex 1 to the Summary ofSIA, August 2003, and again raised by the administration in Phu Ninh, see part 3.1.


19. According to the survey undertaken in June-July 2003 the people saw the reason for theirpoverty as: (i) shortage of capital (making up 47.6% of total poor households) resulting in theincapability of investment in cultivation, leading to low productivity; (ii) sick people in theirfamilies (35.7%); (iii) having to feed many people (6.4%); (iii) shortage of labor (4.6%); (iv)shortage of production experience (2.2%), and (v) shortage of production land (2.6%).

Table 6: Reasons for Poverty

(Canal N12 and N16-N18)

Total Total % PH/ Reasons of povertyhouse of PH total

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ h o ld_ _ _ __ _ _

Lack of Lack of Large Lack of Lack of Lazy to Accide- Sick,disexperie- labor family capital product work nt -eases

nce ion land1. Ha Lam townlet 3,713 678 18.3 2 8 24 347 17 2 3 275Of which: a) head of 203 30.0 1 2 7 104 5 1 1 83household is womenb) Poverty reasons(%): 100 l 0 1.2 3.5 51.2 2.5 0.3 0.4 40.62. Binh Tu 2,931 549 18.7 32 25 17 152 20 1 2 300Of which: a) head of 192 35.0 11 9 6 53 7 0 1 105household is womenb) Poverty reasons (%): 100 5.8 4.6 3.1 27.7 3.6 0.2 0.4 54.63. Binh Quy 2970 907 30.5 0 51 96 598 7 1 2 152Of which: a) head of 322 35.5 0 5.6 10.6 65.9 0.8 0.1 0.2 16.8household is womenb) Poverty reasons (%): 100_ 0 5.6 10.6 65.9 0.8 0.1 0.2 16.84.Tam Thanh commune 2114 221 10.5 18 24 14 23 17 3 9 113(Tam Ky town)Of which: a) head of 65 29.4 18 24 14 23 17 3 9 113household is womenb) Poverty reasons(%): 100 8.1 10.9 6.3 10.4 7.7 1.4 4.1 51.14) total: 11728 2355 20.1 52 108 151 1120 61 7 16 840Of which: a) head of 718 30.5 52 108 151 1120 61 7 16 840household is womenb) Poverty reasons (%): I 100 2.2 4.6 6.4 47.6 2.6 0.3 0.7 35.7

20. Aspirations of poor households headed by women were in agreement with theirperception of the reason for their poverty. They wanted: (i) jobs, especially jobs bringing cashincome, (ii) capital for production development: pig, poultry, cattle breeding, purchase offertilizer, insecticide; (iii) being allowed to take part in the project equally to men; (iv) beingprovided with guidance on agricultural cultivation technique and be able to process wateroperation and take part in water management and distribution to community. Although data donot provide for an analysis of the difference between poor male and poor female headedhouseholds the answers the women provided indicated that they perceive theitr situation morerestricted than the one of males.

21. Most of the poor households were headed by single women or were households having adisable and unwell member. They have to borrow money to buy food, fertilizer and pesticide forproduction. After harvesting, they have to sell part of the modest food to pay their debt. As such


they are in the vicious circle of penuriousness. Most of the poor households at the pilot schemesareas still owe agricultural tax to the government of the years before the tax was lifted. Accordingto the commune authority, their debt would be written off since they are unable to pay it.Consultation with a poor group in Tam Thanh commune (Tam Ky town) shows that 6 out of 10poor households still owe the agricultural tax. The highest indebted amount was 1,300 kg ofpaddy, the lowest wavs 800 kg. 4 out of 5 households headed by poor and single women still owedthe agricultural tax. The poor households all wanted to borrow money at a soft rate. However,consultation with poor and women headed households showed that those households who areshort of manpower want to get relief aid rather than loan for production since they do not knowwhat to do with the loan.

22. The women participate in most of the socio-economic development programs in the areaand played an important role in the social life of the community, especially the campaignfor "Good and strong children", "Hunger eradication and poverty alleviation and employmentgeneration." Other programs include the "For the advancement of the women", "Genderequality", "Reproduction health", and "Care to teenagers".

23. The women are not treated discriminately in the family or in the society. However, thegeneral division of labor works against women, particularly when it comes to income. In the fieldmen do the agricultural work such as preparation of land, sowing, weeding, spraying of pesticide,harvesting, drying, storing whereas the women do harvesting, drying, selling the products, keepthe money. The ratio of doing fieldwork (time spent in the field) between women and men was30%/ 70%. When it comes to raising castle and poultry it was mainly women' work and theywere in charge of 70% of the work, while men did 30%. Caring for children and keeping thehouses were almost exclusively done by women, while decision-making was left for the men. Inurban areas the division of labor was more equal shared between men and women, but income fora days work was VND 10,000 for women and VND 15,000 for men.

2.5. Challenges Facing the Community in Development

24. The communities' development concern can be summaries as follows:

i) Most of the subproject areas is rice mono-cultured and do not have supplementary work,hence the risk is high;

ii) Areas at the down stream often have water problem. Cultivated areas, which did notreceive any irrigated water accounts for 20% of the total land, and could have 1 crop only;

iii) Water for domestic use depended on the level of water in canals. If the canal water levelwas low or there was no water in the canal, domestic water would be contaminated withalum;

iv) High price of input whilst the average rice productivity of the 2 crops of Winter-Springand Summer-Fall was only 35.5 - 38.5 quintals/ha, hence benefit per ha was low and thepeople proposed the government lower the price for farm input;

v) Though the areas are merely agricultural, the renumeration for agricultural products wasdifficult and the price was often compelled by traders causing losses to farmers;

vi) There had not been a consolidated and specified livestock and crop patterns in thecommunity (commune), but was mainly depending on the spontaneity of each household;


vii) Difficulties in access to new high yield varieties and technological advanced agriculturalmethods;

viii) Lack sources for cash income, the prices of agricultural products was cheap and incomelow;

ix) Weak and inactive in discharging waterlog and mainly depending on natural condition.Discharging canal system is inadequate.

2.6. Development Priorities

25. Within the Subproject area renovation and modernization of canal system had become oneof the development priorities particularly among farmers. The present irrigation area only covered80% of the total cultivation area. Other priorities were: (i) Agriculture: stabilizing plantsstructure and increasing rice yield. (ii) Development of small and medium scale industries toattract capital investment, and (iii) to concentrate on exploitation of internal forces by taking theadvantages of land such as changing land for infrastructure including rural communications.

26. Development priorities of the community included: (a) increase rice productivity andcultivation land for 2 crops; (b) find sources of input of reasonable and stable price acceptable tofarmers; (c) find stable markets for agricultural products to avoid prices fixed by traders; (d)develop household husbandry, especially new pig breed of high meat quality and productivity tomeet increased market demand.

2.7. Conclusion: A Social Impact Assessment

27. Poverty is widespread in the Subproject area with around one in every fifth person beingpoor and in some commune poverty has even increased between the year 2000 and 2001. Most ofthe people in the Subproject areas are living of farming output without supplementary income.Farn output has also decreased in some areas but the Subproject is expected to reverse thenegative trend. The Government has provided sufficient infrastructure between communes andvillages as well as rural roads leading to the commune center. Infrastructure facilities such aselectricity, telephone system, school, clinic, and commune's Peoples' Committee (PC)headquarters are newly built or will be re-built.

28. However, there are two major concerns: one relates to the resettlement legacy from thebuilding of the Phu Ninh reservoir, and the second is related to the resettlement policy of thepresent Phu Ninh Subproject. (1) Although the living standard of most of the previously relocated1212 households have been restored to their pre-project levels, there are still people, who hadbeenmoved to remote areas in the province and who have not benefited from the water resourcesof the Phu Ninh irrigation system. The initiatives taken to solve their water problems are far fromsufficient and these people should be helped to improve their living standard. The people and thelocal administration have requested the Subproject to improve their water-and infrastructuresituation, but a more comprehensive social development program should also be considered forthese people within the VWRAP.

29. (2) Data on landholding of affected people shows that the landholdings of the poor are onaverage 425m2 /person compared to the average of 720m2 /person for the area, which makes thepoor more vulnerable in case of land requisition requirements. Because of the loose management


of canal embankment and safe corridor of local authorities, some households have built toilets orplant annual crops, even perennial crops very close to the canals. Further, some parts of canal'ssafe corridor were allocated to households for long-tern use (only 0.5 m from the foot of theembankment) and other parts were temporarily allocated (or not allocated) but all used by thefarmers for annual crops such as rice. The resettlement policy of the World Bank require fullcompensation for all people (irrespective of their legal status) and relocation if the landholdingwill no lQnger be sufficient to sustain the family at their present standard of living. However, thedistinction between legal and illegal settlers and particular the difference between long-tern andshort-term land user right might contribute to increased poverty for some families when land, incases of land-for-land compensation, is expected to come from the reserved 5% land. Some arealready cultivating this land. The Detailed Measurement Survey (DMS) should find out if thepoor are among those cultivating the reserved land (which is to be expected because their povertymight have given them this temporary right). The Subproject should avoid contributing to povertyescalation because the praxis in Vietnam has been that illegal settlers are not fully compensated.

30. Farmers' perception of project impact and mitigation measures is documented in part 3.9.

3. CONSULTATION, INFORMATION DISSIMINATION, AND PARTICIPATION

31. The communes selected for community consultation are: Tam Thjnh (Tam Ky town) andBinh Quy, Binh Tu and Ha Lam townlet (Thang Binh district). Besides the above-mentionedcommunities, consultations were also carried out at the People's Committee (PC) of Quang Namprovince, PC of Tam Ky town and PC of Thang Binh district, with the attendance of leaders ofPC, Women's Association and the related specialized Boards, Branches (Water resource,Cadastral, Department/Office of Agriculture & Rural Development, War Invalids and socialaffairs)

3.1. Commitments to Implement the Project According to World Bank Policy.

32. Consultations with local authorities were carried out separately at each PC of theprovince, district and commune levels7 . Before consultation, the administrations were informedof; (i) the contents of the Project at national scale and the Subproject of Phu Ninh irrigationsystem mordemization and (ii) the policy of the WB on Resettlement and Ethnic minorities.Participants at the consultations were leaders of PC (normally Vice Chairman and Chief/Assisstant Chief of Office) as well as leaders of some staff offices of provincial PC asDepartment of Agriculture and Rural Development (A&RD), of district PC as offices ofCommunications - Irrigation, A&RD, Cadastral, of commune PC as cadres in charge ofCommunications - Irrigation and Cadastral.

7 Consultations with PC at all levels were carried out at: PC of Quang Nam province (with the attendance ofleaders of Department of Agriculture and Rural Development); PC of Tam Ky town and Thang Binh district (withthe attendance of representatives ofrelated specialized offices of the district as Communications, Water resourcelAgriculture and rural Development, cadastral officials...); PC of some commnunes at 2 model canal area as: TamThanh ( Tam Ky town) and communes of Binh Quy, Binh Tu, and Ha Lam townlet (Thang Binh dist), with theattendance of their cadres of cadastral and communication-irrigation.


33. Results of consultation showed that all leaders of the local governments at all levels aswell as the staff offices of the PCs totally support and was commited to implement the Sub-project in accordance with the policy of the WB.

A. Consultation with the PC of the Province;

34. Right after being informed of the contents of the Project, the provincial PC gave directionto the PCs at levels of districts/town to the PCs of communes/wards, townlet in the Subprojectarea, the Department of A&RD, and to Phu Ninh IMC, which created a favourable athmosphareand provided good co-operation from the beginning. The staff wanted to bring the Sub-projectquikly to life. The auhorities found that the modernization of this irrigation system was verynecessary, appropriate to the people's aspiration, and to the socio-economic development targetsand the development direction of the year 2010 of Quang Nam province. At present, the canaland ditch system were seriously down-graded, the dam system was not very safe, especially afterthe historical flood of 1999 and, therefore, it is necessary to renovate and increase irrigationcapacity of the system as early as possible.

35. The provincial peoples' life are still difficult, living standard is low, the capability ofinvestment in big projects is limited due to lack of capital, and the Subproject thanks to theattention of the Govemment and WB to the locality is very welcome. The provincial PC is readyto receive the Sub-project and is committed to implement correctly the WB policy, and create thebest conditions for the implementation of the Subproject. The province have had their experienceand obtained good results in the implementation of Projects using loans from internationalorganizations, including WB and ADB, especially concerning compensation, site clearance, andresettlement, and, therefore, they will definitely be able to fulfill their commitments. To make itsuitable to the Resettlement Policy of WB, the provincial PC will decide on new compensationunit price applied specifically to this Subproject.

36. The provincial PC mentioned that: (i) although WB policy has some points different fromthe policy of the Government, it is still easy to be implemented if the Government issues timelydocuments suitable to WB policy. This experience has been drawn from the actual site clearanceto develop projects using loan capital from international organizations in the provincial area. (ii)To request the Project to consider the assistance for the building of some works (as smallirrigation, rural communications) for communities of high area communes in the province wherethe resettlement people have moved in to live for the construction of Phu Ninh lake project, butthey are not benefited from Phu Ninh irrigation system. At present, the people of this area aremeeting with a lot of difficulties in their life and in production.8

B. Consultation with the PC of District/town:

37. At the two pilot areas leaders of PCs of Thang Binh district and Tam Ky town completelysupported the Subproject and wish to get the project, as it is very useful for the socio-economic

8This request is similar to the conclusion of the Resettlement Legacy documented in the Annex to the Summary ofSlAs in VWRAP, August 2003..


development of the locality, especially for agricultural production, and to improve people's lives.The district also agreed to implementation of the Subproject according to WB policy.

38. In case of land compensation, the locality still has the land fund of 5% (reserved land) forcompensation without any difficulty. Regarding canal grade 3/ on farm and the people'scontributions for restoration, new construction, the PC of the district/town hold that at present,the Program for the fortification of canals, ditches of province, districts/towns with the people'scontribution has repaired, upgraded and fortified some canal lines belonging to the Phu Ninhirrigation system. As for Tam Ky town, from 2000 - 2002, 27.44 km of canal, ditch of all typeswere fortified with the total expense of VND 18,5 billion, including: 12.75 km of canal grade 2,and 44.69 km canal grade 3/on farm.

39. With experience from the implementation of the above-mentioned Program for canalfortification, leaders of PC of district/town believe that with the financial assisstance from theState, the attention of local authorities at all levels, the people and community are totally able tocarry out the renovation and new construction of canals grade 3/on farrn.

40. Leaders of PC of Thang Binh district and Office of A&RD hold that the selection of twopilot canal lines N16 and N18 was very reasonable, however, some matters should be paidattention to during the implementation of the works after modernization:

(i) the flow will be bigger, therfore, irrigation effectiveness will not be high if there is noweir for water rising;

(ii) there will be moss on the banks of the canal line running through population areas,easily making children and women slip and fall down .Therefore, it is necessary torenovate the steps at canal banks to avoid this phenomenon. Further

(iii) it is necessary to pay attention to the designs of canal line N22-4 (belonging to BinhTrieu commune) to overcome the situation that the end of the canal is bigger than thebeginning of the canal;

(iv) canal N22-6 (belonging to Binh Dao commune) the height level at the end of the canalis higher than the beginning of the canal.

(v) As for the sandy soil of the Eastern part of the district, water retaining capability ofsoil is bad as much water is absorbed, and, therefore, the district proposed that ifconcrete was used according to 'concrete joining' style, it would easily be broken byflow at conjungtion lines.

(vi) It would be necessary to combine information dissimination in rural areas concerningcanal grade 2 and above.

(vii) Trees planting on canal banks are strictly forbidden.

41. Regarding the compensation for property affected during the process of renovation or newconstruction of canal lines grade 3/ on farm, the district PC proposed:

(viii) It is advisable to raise the matter of compensation to newly built canals. As for theexisted canals, which only need renovation, upgrading, it is unnecessaty for


compensation, according to the district administration. They also found that ifcompensation wass made, there may be the occurrence of unfairness betweenhouseholds who will implement the protection of canal and its rights of way warnedby the PC of commue, and households who, due to their occupation, did notimplement the protection well.

42. As for the Project, the PC of districts/town proposed:

(ix) Ph6 Ninh Lake was built in the state-subsidy time, though the people who had tomove away for the construction of the lake and canal system were assisted and paidcompensation by the State, they are the most affected people, especially in property.Moreever, after the completion of the irrigation system, they are not direct beneficiary(as they had to move to the high area), therfore, the Project is expected to payattention to them and make ways to support them, by investment in the construction ofpump stations to create source of irrigation water for those high areas.

(x) Bridges over canals were not built previously, or unreasonably built, inconvenient forthe people's usage, especially for women and children (as access to the brige issloping, bridge is too high), the Project is expected to renovate and build new bridges.

(xi) As to the renovation, restoration and new construction of canal lines grade 3/on farm,it is necessary for the State to invest and support, but there shoud be contributions ofthe people and community in order to highly raise their responsibility in their use andprotection of the works later.

(xii) Right in the implementation, as well as after the completion of the Sub-project, it isnecessary to provide guidance on irrigation technique to farmers, irrigation teams andcommunity leaders (from head of production teams/ and head of hamlets and above).To make plans to make the people use water economically.

(xiii) It is necessary to carry out training courses for irrigation cadres who are farmers,including women, so that they would be qualified for water management anddistribution.

(xiv) Regarding the drain canal system when the Phu Ninh irrigaiton system was previouslybuilt, due to shortage of investment capital, the drain canal system did not pay enoughattention and it was not synchronously built, therefore, some areas has often beenflooded as a result of bad drainage capability, water even overflows into houses.Therefore, the Project is requested to pay attention to the renovation of the drainagesystem together with the irrigation system. Besides, it is also necessary to attend to therenovation of drainage system of the areas not benefited from the Sub-project, as atthe communes of Tam An, Tam Thanh, Tam Ph6 (with cultivation area of about 300ha).

(xv) Regarding technical design, it is necessary to pay enough attention to waterdistribution sewers.

C. Consultation with the Commune PC in Subproject Areas

43. Wards' and commnes' PCs were commited to implement the project in consistance withWB policies. The implementation of the subproject activities coincides with local planning.Wards' and commnes' PCs agree to use the 5% unallocated land to compensate the PAFs who


lose land if they want land compensation according to WB policy. If, for some reasons the projectaffected people (PAP) who lose land do not want to take the given lot of land, the PC willnegotiate with owner of the lot next to it for exchange or transfer. The commune had thefollowing wishes for the Subproject:

(i) Improve the leaking of water and thereby enhance irrigation capacity. This wouldresult in decline of water shortage and disputes between production teams and areas;

(ii) Enlarge actively irrigated areas and provide water to areas where there are still nowater;

(iii) Save land for cultivation thanks to smaller canal-bed as design;

(iv) Save budget for dredging;

(v) Improve sanitation.

D. Consultation with farmers

44. Community meetings were held in communes Tam Thanh (Tam Ky town), Binh Tu, BinhQuy and Ha Lam town (Thang Binh district) of 2 sample areas N12 and N16 - N18 in which localhouseholds and representatives of social organizations 9 were gathered. All the participantssupported and welcomed the subproject. They were committed to implement the subproject inaccordance with WB policy. They believed that the commitments would be carried out sincecommunes' reserve land funds of 4-5% were available'0 . However, communities in the pilot areashad the following recommendations for a good implementation of the Subproject:

(i) Affected assets would merely need to be compensated and assisted in accordance withdecision on compensation rates and allowances promulgated by PPC and WB policy,then resettlement/land clearance would meet no obstacles/or difficulties.

(ii) Local people should be widely informed prior to the time of water closure for thesubproject construction (as already proposed by local population and theircommunities) so that they could initiatively store water and prepare adequate plans onharvesting and cultivating for example commune Tam Thanh -Tam Ky town couldimplement an earlier tobaco cultivation to have sufficient water during the firstgrowing stage).

(iii) If communes' rural transport routes and other communities' properties such aselectricity lines, civil crossing-canal bridges etc would be either used for transportingconstruction materials or damaged during the subproject construction, they should bepromptly repaired after the subproject completion.

(iv) Construction materials/equipment should covered during transportation to ensure alowest impact to living environment of local population.

(v) Attention should be given during transportation to passing school areas.

9 Including representatives of social organizations: 1) President of the National Front; 2) Veteran Association; 3)Women's Union; 4) Farmer Association; 5) Agricultural Expansion Union; 6) Elderly People Organization; 7) YouthUnion; (no ethnic minority living in the subproject's area), and representatives of local authorities and professionalstaff: 1) Secretary/Vice-Secretary; 2) President/or Vice-President of CPC; 3) Head/or Vice-head of hamnlet; 4)Commune's Cadastral staff; 5) Head of Cooperative; 6) Heads of Commune's Agriculture-Irrigation Groups (noethnic minorities living in the subproject's area).'° By responding to the World Bank resettlement policy farmers and the administration mentioned the availability ofthe land, but the investigation showed the land to be occupied by present users.

Social Assessment Report 16

Phu Ninh Subproject

(vi) If the subproject planned to build cross-canal bridges replacing temporary local-madebridges, new bridges should be placed at the most convenient locations. Cases of newbridges build at high cost to the State's budget but providing low efficiency because ofunconvenient positions, should be avoided.

3.2. Farmers' Participation in Water Management

45. Local population showed aspirations to be able to participate in the subproject'simplementation, since this participation could give them cash income, important especially topoor households and households with surplus labours as well as woman. In 4 consultedcommunes and town, local population in Binh Quy commune showed most ardently theirexpectation to participate in the subproject implementation, because it was the poorest communein Quang Nam province and the subproject's areal'.

46. The local population were willing to contribute part of their affected assets (deepened onlevel of impacts to income sources and living conditions) to repairment and new establishment oftertiary canals and they could participate in: (i) Simple works (earth filling and digging,transporting, pouring concrete, building, guarding etc); (ii) Water managing and distribution,through Irrigational Team and Agricultural Service Cooperative later on. (iii) With guidance fromtechnical staff of IMC or the subproject, they could build and repair and do some constructionworks of simple technical requirements. (iv) Daily constructing of the subproject works. v)Monitoring the construction of subproject 's works. (vi) Maintaining and protecting canal routesafter the subproject's completion. (vii) Woman could participate in water management anddistribution in tertiary canal systems after the subproject's completion, if they were guided andtrained.

3.3. Farmer's Recommendation Concerning Water Closing Management

A. Farming season structure:47. Before 2000, local farmers in the subproject's area did cultivation with 3 rice harvests(winter-spring harvest, summer-autumn harvest and harvest 3) and 1 vegetable harvest calledwinter harvest. Since 2000 climate conditions had only made 2 rice harvest possible (winter-spring and summer-autumn ones) and 1 winter vegetable and crop harvest. Only in Nui Thanhdistrict 3 rice harves remained as shown in tabale 6 below.

" According to reports of CPCs within sample canal area, in 2002, Binh Quy had 907 poor households (making up30.5% of total commune's households); Binh Tu - 549 poor households (18.7%); Ha Lam Town - 678 poorhouseholds (18.3%); Tam Thanh (Tam Ky town) - 221 poor households (10.5%) - classified by new criteria on poorhouseholds issued by the Vietnamese Government.


Table 7: Farming Season Structure within the Subproject Area

Item Districts within the subproject's area

Tam Ky Nui Thanh Que Son Duy Xuyen Thang Binh Total2000 2001 2000 2001 2000 2001 2000 2001 2000 2001 2000 2001

A. total cultivated 11103.4 11415.1 4639.5 4034.0 5250.0 4312.7 816.0 816.0 15855 16306.0 37663.9 36883.8area (ha): . .0

1. watering: 8940.9 9251.8 3580.5 2975.0 2846.6 2846.6 610.0 610.0 7630. 8552.0 23608.0 24235.4O

1. Rice: 8090.4 8438.4 3580.5 2975.0 2846.6 2846.6 610.0 610.0 6020. 7054.0 21147.5 21924.00

a) Winter-Spring (rice) 4150.2 4142.2 840.6 1365.0 1423.3 1423.3 305.0 305.0 2767. 3283.0 9486.1 10518.5

. 0b) Summer-Autumn 3940.2 4296.2 1381.4 1610.0 1423.3 1423.3 305.0 305.0 3253. 3771.0 10302.9 11405.5(rice) 0

c) Harvest 3 (rice) 1358.5 1358.5 0.0

2. Crops (Winter 850.5 813.4 1610. 1498.0 2460.5 2311.4harvest): 0

a) Peanut 372.3 399.0 515.0 563.0 887.3 962.0

b) Popcorn 91.2 110.4 29.0 65.0 120.2 175.4

c) Potato 387.0 304.0 1066. 870.0 1453.0 1174.00

II. Not watering: 2162.5 2163.3 1059.0 1059.0 2403.4 1466.1 206.0 206.0 8225. 7754.0 14055.9 12648.40

1. Rice: 650.6 653.6 0.0 0.0 1156.4 555.4 20.0 20.0 4718. 4146.0 6545.0 5375.00

a) Winter-Spring (rice) 329.8 431.8 578.2 277.7 10.0 10.0 2367. 2162.0 3285.0 2881.50

b) Summer-Autumn 320.8 221.8 578.2 277.7 10.0 10.0 2351. 1984.0 3260.0 2493.5(rice) 0

c) Harvest 3 (rice) 0.0 0.0

2. Crops (Winter 1511.9 1509.7 1059.0 1059.0 1247.0 910.7 186.0 186.0 3507. 3608.0 7510.9 7273.4harvest): 0

a) Peanut 699.6 739.0 424.0 424.0 660.0 408.0 89.0 89.0 783.0 704.0 2655.6 2364.0

b) Popcorn 146.3 190.7 14.0 14.0 146.0 145.0 73.0 73.0 20.0 54.0 399.3 476.7

c) Potato 666.0 580.0 621.0 621.0 441.0 357.7 24.0 24.0 2704. 2850.0 4456.0 4432.70

B. farm-season 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0structure (%):

a) Winter-Spring (rice) 40.3 40.1 18.1 33.8 38.1 39.4 38.6 38.6 32.4 33.4 33.9 36.3

b) Summer-Autumn 38.4 39.6 29.8 39.9 38.1 39.4 38.6 38.6 35.3 35.3 36.0 37.7(rice) I_I II_

c) Harvest 3 (rice) 0.0 0.0 29.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.6 0.0

d) Winter harvest 21.3 20.4 22.8 26.3 23.8 21.1 22.8 22.8 32.3 31.3 26.5 26.0(vegetables. crops): _


12B. Farming-season scheduleWinter-Spring rice harvest: late December - late April (solar calendar)Summer-Autumn rice harvest: middle May - middle September (solar calendar)Winter harvest (vegetables and crops): late November - ealry March (solar calendar)Winter harvest was for peanut, corn, potato, vegetables and tobaco etc and watering was mainlybased on natural water source. Rice was applied chiefly method of cultivating withouttransplanting (accounting for 85-90% of cultivated area) ; the remaining area of 10-15% wasapplied method of transplant cultivation.

48. The best times for water closure for the subproject's construction were:- Phase 1: from 10 April to 10 May of solar calendar (1 month).- Phase 2: from 1 September to 15 December (3.5 months)

49. During the time of water closure for the subproject's construction, there would be somenegative impacts: (i) Phase 1 of water closure could cause difficulties for peanut cultivation. (ii)Phase 2 would cause no impacts on cultivation of vegetables, crops and tobaco since it would bein rainy season. Therefore, water opening would not be needed. (iii) There would be impacts onwater sources for daily activities of local population, because, in addition to taking canal waterdirectly for washing purpose, the level of well water in some areas did depend on canals' waterlevel. In many places of Thang Binh district, if water closure lasted 45 days in a row, almost allwater-wells would be dried out, except for some close to Truong Giang river, where well-waterlevel was not depending by canal water level.

50. Measures to mitigate negative impacts during water closure periods:* Water should be opened 1-2 times during water closure periods, 5-10 days each time.

Water could reach to cultivation fields within this opening period.* Tobaco should be planted 1 week earlier than normal.* People should be encouraged to store water in ponds and lakes, and asked to economize

their use of water.

51. However, local people considered these negative impacts insignificant. Moreover, therewere no impacts to their main crop: rice.

12 Prior to 2000, schedule for 3 rice harvests and I winter harvest as follows:- Winter-Spring rice harvest: late November - late March (Solar calendar);- Summer-Autumn rice harvest. early April - late July (Solar Calendar)- Rive harvest 3: late July - late October (Solar Calendar)- Winter harvest (vegetables and crops): late November - early March (Solar Calendar)

Because of climate characters: i) frequently-occurred floods in late October and early November caused variousunprofitableness for first stage of winter-spring harvest; ii) strong rainstorms in late March caused rice death whichnegatively impacted on rice production; iii) to avoid floods in late October, harvest 3 could use short-lifetime seedbut it usually got insectival diseases which decreased rice productivity. In adaptation to above climate characters,from 2000 on, the PPC implemented policy on cultivating 2 rice harvests Winter-Spring and Summer-Autumn and 1winter harvest as do presently. Actually the present 2 rice harvests provided a higher productivity than that ofprevious 3 rive harvests.


3.4. Farmers' Capacity to Restore and Build New Tertiary Canals.

52. In all the consultation with communities the local population and communities leadersexpressed their expectation to have tertiary canals repaired, restored, even newly built. It wouldfirst of all help to overcome existing water shortage, water disputed and difficulties in waterregulation between fields. Local people agreed to contribute their labour and part of their assetsfor the restoring and building of new tertiary canals. They found that the communities were fullycapaple of managing and distributing tertiary canal water, as well as maintaining and protectingthe canal system after the subproject's completion. According to the local population lining ofexisting canals did not cause occupation of land and structures and in many cases, this couldprovide more land and other benefits in regards to landscape, environment and more conveniencefor canal-side households in daily water use. Moreover, it was an important factor protestingagainst the encroachment on canal sides as -it presently happened.

53. However, local people asserted that the repairment, restoration and new construction ofsome canal routes of tertiary canal system were a difficult work, which they could not dothemselves (especially in newl constructions). Although they would be the future beneficiariesand users they could not afford it because of their low income, especially low cash income, andthey proposed a combination of their contribution (in the form of labor) and State assistance (inthe form of material and technical guidance).' 3

54. Regarding contribution of land for repairing and new building of tertiary canals localpeople can consecrate land and in special cases with large area of land that caused impacts toincome sources the commune's authority would make compensation for the lost households by5% unallocated land (the reserve land presently was under CPC management).

55. Regarding management, distributing water and maintaining/repairing canals, local peopleand their communities were fully capable of implementation because such work presently wereunder implementation of Agricultural Service Cooperative, which was lead by a production teamelected by local people. The people who would be assigned as managers on water distributionshould be guided and trained on the use of technical equipment and modem watering model thatwould be applied after the subproject completion.

3.5. Present Models of Water Management and Distribution

56. There are 3 models of water management and distribution in the subproject area and thedifference depended on the existence of Agricultural Service Cooperative or not. The three

13Presently, the provincial program on canal lining were being implemented in the subproject's localities, under amode of cooperation between the State and the local people. The province invested 40% ot total estimate budget ofthe construction work (by cash). Local people contributed 60% by their workdays or by cash equal to compulsorilycontributed workdays.ln fact, according to opinions of local authorities and IMC, this Program caused almost noimpacts to assets of local population since they did the lining on existing canal routes. Thus, it met no land clearancerequirements. From 2001 up to now, the province's contribution by cash for 40% of estimate budget was not enoughtfor purchasing construction materials, whilst local people contribution was mainly by workdays. Money shortagebecame worse and worse. To solve this status, local authorities decided to use local-made construction materials as areplacement for 60% contribution of local population. This replacement reduced the cost, created jobs and facilitatedlocal people to contribute their workdays, especially the poor.


models were: 1. "Model of Agricultural Service Cooperative, inter-hamlet/or commune scale asthe representative" found in communities where Agricultural Service Cooperative did exist.14 2."Model of Head of hamlet were the representative" which was found in communities whereAgricultural Service Cooperative did not exist, and 3."Model of Commune Economic Board asthe representative" where the representatives were the ones signing direct contracts with RegionalIrrigation Enterprises, which were entrusted by the IMC15 .

1. Model ofAgricultural Service Cooperative, inter-hamlet/or commune scale as therepresentative:57. This was the model applied in communities where Agricultural Service Cooperative ofinter-hamlet/or commune scale existed (such as in Tam Thanh commune, canal N12, Tam Kytown with 10 hamlets in 2 Cooperatives).

58. Head of the Cooperative was the representative for water-users to sign direct contract withIMC, through a regional irrigation enterprise (Irrigation Enterprise was entrusted by IMC). TheCooperative collected payment for irrigation fee from its water users and then delivered it to theenterprise. The Cooperative was responsible for managing, distributing water from head of 3-class canals to cultivation field and inforning each household-user to lead water into their ownfields.

59. To fulfil these functions, the Cooperative formed an irrigation team, leaded by Vice-headof the Cooperative. Team members were heads of the Cooperative's production teams (forexample in Tam Thanh commune: Cooperative 1 had 15 production teams and Irrigation teamhad 15 members; Cooperative 2 had 19 production teams and its Irrigation Team had 19members). Irrigation teams were responsible for distributing water from the head to the end oftertiary canals, then each household-users would be inforrned about the water schedule so that

14 For example: Tam Thanh conmnune (Tam Ky district) which was located in N12 sample area had 2,209households with 4,486 people and 10 hamlets (hamlet names were numbered from 1 to 10). It had 2 AgriculturalService Cooperatives: Cooperative I covered 4 harnlets and Cooperative 2 covered 6 hamlets. Each Cooperative hadits Administrative Section (including the Head, Vice-head and Bookkeeper) and Control Board (with I controller). Inaddition to providing agricultural services (watering and agricultural materials and techniques), the Cooperatives aswell had advisory responsibility for local people about production plans to seasonal and technical aspects. Besides,the Cooperative was in charge of implementing some other services such as management and distribution ofelectricity to civil household-users and handicraft production (rattan). These Agricultural Service Cooperatives werea reform of previous Agricultural Cooperatives, by changing functions and responsibilities from planning, managingand organizing production under collective mode (land was under the Cooperative management) to providingservices (including consultation service) to farmers (land was under management and long-term use of households).Therefore, although the model of production teams was still in existence as they were previously during the time ofAgricultural Cooperatives, but the previous functions on managing and organizing scheduled production was nolonger at work. Production team presently was considered an administrative unit at hamlet level, although it as wellparticipated in the Cooperative's activities as providing agricultural services.

15 Organizational structure of Phu Ninh IMC; IMC consisted of Irrigation Enterprises. Each Irrigation Enterprisebelonged to an Irrigation Branch. For example: Tam Thanh commune was under Cam Khe Irrigation Branch.Irrigation Enterprise was in charge of leading water to the end of 2-class canal (Canal N12 for example) or head of 3-class canals (such as canals N12-6, N12-8, N12-125b, N12-125a). Agricultural Service Cooperative was responsiblefor managing and distributing water from the head of 3-class canal to each cultivation fields to household-user level.


Under the hamlet head (the general chief) were self-management groups, who were responsiblefor irriation service and informing household-users to lead water into their own fields, collectingirrigation fee, as well being responsible for administrative matters. Self-management group had2-3 members, elected by local people. Each hamlet had at least 2 and at most 6 self-managementgroups. CPC did not participate in water management and distribution, but only in solving civildisputes or grievances related to its function. Water household-users paid irrigation fee to hamlethead. Hamlet head delivered the collected fee to IMC through regional irrigation enterprise.

63. Advantages of the model. If each hamlet had established one irrigation group to manageand distribute water to household level, it would have created a smooth cooperation with IMCand other hamlets, but that was not the case. Concurrently, collection of irrigation fees wouldhave been more convenient and erased doubts of household-users, if the contract was not signedonly by the hamlet head. Self-management groups, elected by local people encouraged theinitiative and ownership spirits among local population in regards to public works (includingmanaging and distributing water). Members of self-management groups regularly gaveinformation about water source, distribution schedule, and use schedule. The model was on asmall scale that was suited to actual capacity in water management and distribution of thefarmers, and it was convenient to cooperate with CPC in solving water disputes due to theparticipation of hamlet head in water management and distribution.

64. Disadvantages of the model: Since the water contract was signed between IrrigationEnterprise and hamlet head solely it happen that there was a difference between actual wateringarea and the signed area. Therefore, there could be possibility of losing the different amount ofirrigation fees.

1. Model of Communie Economic Board as thte representative.

65. This model worked through Commune Economic Board and the commune authority gavedirect guidance in water management and distribution. This was the model applied tocommunities where Agricultural Service Cooperative did not exist. Commune Economic Board,on behalf of water household-users, signed direct contract with Irrigation Enterprise, which wasentrusted by IMC. Then, hamlet heads signed supplement contracts with Commune EconomicBoard. Hamlet head was assigned to be in charge of her/his hamlet irrigation group. Dependingon the number of production teams of each hamlet and cultivation area and population of eacharea. Each production team could have 3-5 persons who participated in irrigation services.Commune Economic Board had 5-6 members. 2 would be assigned to be responsible forirrigation issue under the leadership of the Board's Head. Thus, if a commune had 8 hamlet with35 production teams such as in Binh Tu commune (Thang Binh district), number of personsparticipating in water management and distribution got to 140 (in case each production team hadaverage 4 people).

66. Advantages of the model: Under the direct leadership of CPC, it was convenient insolving water disputes. With the participation of members of each production team in the processof water management and distribution, information about water source, distribution schedule anduse schedule were regularly updated.


67. Disadvantages of the model: This model showed similar disadvantages with the onetaking CPC as the representative for water household-users to sign direct contract with IMCbecause in its essence, Commune Economic Board was the same as the CPC. Thesedisadvantages were there often was a difference between actual watering area and the contractarea signed with Irrigation Enterprise. This disadvantage could lead to mismanagement and causea loss of.revenue for IIMC, and negatively impact the repair and maintenance of canal system byIMC. Too many people participating in water management and distribution required high budgetfor their salary so household-users had to pay a high non-irrigation expense. This payment wasusually of 4-8 kg of rice/sao' 7/harvest (or equal to 8 - 16 kg of rice/sao/year, or 160 - 320 kg ofrice/ha).

68. In short, next to disadvantages of each existing model of water management anddistribution, there were also ones related to quality of service provided by IMC, which was: (i)quantity of provided water had not yet meet requirement because of the degraded canal systems.(ii) sections at the end of canals often suffered watering destitute or delays. (iii) It took a lot offarmers' time to lead water into their fields. Although water distribution timetable of IMC wasaccepted with watering managers and and the community responsible had informed the people athousehold-user level, there were many cases of disputes between localities because waterheadusers showed an excessive use of water at the same time as waterbottom users were in lack ofwater.

Measures to improve the present model of water distribution and management69.e First of all, the canal system needs to be rehabilitated, upgraded and modernized. Only by

doing so the improvement of the present model of water distribution and management cantake place;

* Make known to water users the irrigating areas indicated in the contract signed with IMC andthe balance between the contracted and actual per each field of each household. Only bydoing so the farmers can exercise their rights of monitoring the implementation of thecontract and the performance of the those who distribute and manage the irrigation;

* While waiting for the application of a new model, there should be a consistent managementfrom top to down levels on all types of canals, including the tertiary ones to avoid disputesamongst areas. Those who take part in water distribution and management will be paid by thegovernment (cash or in kinds) as currently applied to IMC so that these persons will pay moreattention to the work;

* Establish the association of water users to facilitate the systematic and continuous regulationof water based on canal network and not by administrative areas as at present.

3.6. Irrigation Fees

70. According to DARD reports, the irrigation fee, which has to be paid to IMC, is calculatedbased on crop productivity. The payment is required in cash based on the local market rate at thetime of payment to be certified by the PPC in writing.

17 l sao = 500 m2.


71. Consultation with the community at the two pilot schemes showed that there weredifferent irrigation fee amongst communes, implying differences in crop productivity. Paymentfor irrigation services were composed of two parts: irrigation fee paid to IMC according thePPC's decision, and irrigation service paid to the water service cooperative to pay the irrigationteam, which looked after the distribution and management of water and repaired the tertiarycanals. The later payment was usually decided by the cooperative after discussion and agreementamong its its members.

72. In Tam Thanh commune (Tam Ky town): Irrigation fee paid to IMC per household were6.5 kgs of paddy/500m2 per Winter-Spring g crop and 9 kgs of paddy/500m2 per Summer-Fallcrop in addition to irrigation service cost paid to the service cooperation: 4 kgs ofpaddy/500m2/crop (equivalent tol60 kgs of paddy/ha/year). The total payment for irrigationservice per household was 23.5 kgs of paddy/500m2/year (2 crops), or 470 kgs/ha/year(equivalent to VND 1,034,000/ha/year).

Willingness to pay for irrigation services after completion of the subproject73. The water users affirm that they are willing to pay higher irrigation fee as compared to thepresent level, provided that they were provided adequate irrigated water, especially for thecultivation areas, which was still using rainfed water. The rationale for being able to pay higherirrigation fee was that the provision of adequate irrigated water would save the time they used tointake water to their field, and after completion they would have time to do other work. Thecultivation areas for 2 rice crops would be increased by regular irrigationed, and thereby increaseproductivity. Hence, income per cultivated area would be higher than at present.

3.7. Farmers Proposed Water Management Model

74. The farmers fully support the application of market principles in providing irrigationservice by INMC, i.e. they will pay only for the amount they buy based on the levels of service andto which extend water was meeting their crop requirements. In order to improve the presentmodels of water distribution and management, the water users agree to establish the associationby themselves with representatives selected by them to be responsible for water distribution andmanagement and sign the contract with IMC on their behalf.

75. While the canal systems have not been modernized, initial priority for institutionalimprovement of water distribution and management includes making known of the contents ofthe contract signed between village head, or board of director of the agricultural servicecooperative, with IMC so that the water users know the total areas to be irrigated per each crop,level of irrigation (active or semi-active irrigating) and the allocation of the contracted areas foreach household. That would improve control of management and secure the IMC get the amountfor repair.

76. Two models of water distribution and management was proposed by the farmers andcommunity for selection:Model L. If the canal system is good and provide enough water, the model of "the agriculturalservice cooperative of inter-village level is the representative" with a full time irrigation teamwith 1-2 farmers from each production group" would be suitable. The establishment of the


association of water users should be based on the existing cooperative in the areas (inter-villagesor commune scale), whereby it could take the combined advantages of resources of thecooperative including the experiences, facilities and staff, and the new regime of the association.Model 2: Establish an association in each community. This model was preferred more than model1. In this model the water users would select their representatives for water distribution andmanagement and sign the contract with WMC. All association's activities would be agreed upon byits members in their regular and irregular meetings and made transparent especially concerningfinancial matters.

77. Although the model of association would make use of good experiences of the formeragricultural cooperative at commune or village levels or the present agricultural servicecooperatives, the farmers propose that: (i) the association should be of the initial size of thevillage as it is suitable with the management ability of the farmers who are still less experiencedwith this work; and (ii) establishment of this model should only be suitable after the irrigationsystem has been modernized.

78. The community proposed the following to ensure participation and effectiveness of theSubproject: (i) To disseminate the technical procedures for the operation, distribution andmanagement of water in a modern irrigation system during the implementation or after thecompletion of the subproject. (ii) The institutions of water distribution and management be set upbased on the establishment of the association of those water users of the same area/ canal so thatthey can chose a suitable association to take part as well as a suitable person to sign the contractwith IMC on their behalf. (iii) The association should hold regular meetings to hear report on theimplementation of the contract from the representatives and recommendations of its members.(iv) In the case the water users are no longer in favor of their elected representative it should bepossible to make a new selection. (v) Train the women so that they are able to participate in themanagement and distribution of water. The participation of women for this process will fill thegap caused by men's bad doings; such as (a) less careful in working as some time they are busywith drinking; (b) less fair and bias treatment; and (c) easy going and have low responsibility.

3.8. Consultation with Community on Mitigation Measures

79. Farmers perceived the Subproject would have an impact during construction for whichmitigating measures should be taken. (i) The big gathering of workers for construction can haveimpacts to the security and order of the community, and make prices at local market increase. (ii)The closing of water for construction will have impacts not only to irrigation of crops but also towater for domestic use since most of the well levels depend on canal water levels, except areasalong the river. (iii) After the construction is completed, transportation is still affected becauseearth left over from the dredging and excavating of canals, which should be used forstrengthening embankment access road will affect the environment of the community bothsocially and environmentally. (iv) There will possibly be impact on transportation of peoplebecause the construction will affect canal bridge and power grid. (v) Possible impact to theenvironment due to dust from the road where there is the transportation of construction materials.

80. Recommendations and mitigation measures- Disseminate widely and adequately to the people and community of the project content and

policy as well as the construction plan and water closing and opening schedules;


- Mobilize strength of the community for contribution to the works and share the losses withaffected households;

- The PPC should issue new cost norms to be applied to this subproject to make it consistentwith the WB policies;

- Those who are responsible for the management and implementation of the subproject shouldbe qualified and experienced and know the policies of the WB and the government well. Thiswill help not to cause more losses to the people due to wrong implementation of thesepolicies;

- Compensation should be at the rate acceptable to the people and help the affected householdsto rehabilitate;

- Use the 5% unallocated land for compensation to those who do not want compensation incash;

- There must be representatives of the people to participate in the monitoring of the process ofcompensation, resettlement, and construction in consistent with the WB policy;

- Commune authority and village have to coordinate with the project implemention units toimplement the subproject in their area. First of all, the commune cadastral officials have todefine clearly the boundary of land which has been allocated long term to households tofacilitate the inventory of project affected people, which will take place latter on;

- Rehabilitation and upgrade of canal embankment should also aimed at making it an accessroad;

- Rehabilitation of canal should be made within the existing line. Tertiary canals built byfarmers themselves has taken a lot of land and need to be re-shaped;

- Construction should be carried out at the time when there is less production activities withappropriate construction method;

- Contractors have to commit, with legal enforcement, to repair the roads and otherinfrastructure they use for construction activities and have measures to reduce dust from thetransportation;

- Find a suitable place for construction materials;- Find the best roads for transportation;- Strengthen the management and monitoring of the process of canal construction.

Documents

Social Impact Assessment Phu Nlnh Subprojectdocuments.worldbank.org/curated/pt/496911468779657003/... · 2016-07-17 · Socialist Republic of Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural